Despite polling strongly across the UK, MEP Nigel Farage's UK Independence Party (UKIP) failed to translate popular support into parliamentary gains.
According to UK media, UKIP won more than 3.5 million votes (around 13 per cent) across the country but due to the UK's first past the post electoral system the party managed to secure just one seat.
Farage contested the South Thanet seat in Kent, in southeast England. He campaigned hard, but only managed to finish in third place.
A former commodity broker, he became the face of UKIP after becoming leader in 2006. He has been the loudest eurosceptic voice in the UK and a vocal critic in the European parliament.
UKIP currently has 22 MEPs and is part of parliament's Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group, which Farage co-heads.
Prior to the election, the MEP stated that if he failed to win the South Thanet seat he would stand down as UKIP leader.
Today he followed through with this promise, and stood down as leader. UKIP now faces the challenge of selecting a new leader, with no clear successor yet established within the party.